I absolutely love mornings and waking up early. A large part of this is due to the routine I have before I start writing or go on one of my Photography assignments. Creating a healthy morning routine before work can set a positive tone for your entire day!
If you are now in the mode where you pretty much wake up late every day and rush into work- don’t lose hope! With taking small steps, you CAN create a healthy morning routine.
Below are five tips that will help you to establish a repeatable and effective system before work:
Wake Up Earlier
Do your best to wake up earlier and at the same time every single day. This will allow your body to get into a regular sleep-wake cycle. Start with just 10-15 minute increments to make it easier. So, if you rise at 6:30, set your alarm for 6:15 am instead. Once it’s easy for you to get up at 6:15 am, reduce the time once more.
Get up when your alarm goes off and do NOT hit snooze. This used to be a big one for me! For years, I would hit the snooze up to 5 times before getting out of bed. Here is a great article behind why this is a bad idea.
Eat & Drink in the Morning
Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up to rehydrate your body. Add lemon for extra flavor and that Vitamin C Boost.
Of course you’ve probably heard this a lot, but eating a healthy breakfast boosts your brain power and gives you energy to get through the morning.
Go for a breakfast that combines protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates. Think oatmeal with fruit and nuts, a smoothie packed with greens and protein powder, or eggs with whole-grain toast. These options are quicky, easy and good for you!
Move Your Body
Exercise in the morning can totally transform your day. You’ll get your blood pumping, clear your head, and release those feel-good endorphins. You’ll find yourself more awake and ready to face work challenges with a sharper mind.
Going for a morning jog or bike ride is the first thing I do when I wake up (by 5:30 am). I lay out my workout clothes/shoes out the night before. This is so much easier since I don’t have to think at all. I grab my clothes, change and then head out the door.
If you wake up even 20 minutes earlier- this will give you time to go for a walk, or do a quick cardio session at home. If you are lacking motivation, having an accountability partner can help. If you know there is someone waiting for you and depending on you to exercise together, you’ll be less likely to flake out.
When your body feels good, your mind follows. That burst of energy and the feeling of accomplishment right after a workout will give you a huge boost to the rest of your day.
Be Present & Positive
- Practice mindfulness: Spend a few minutes practicing deep breathing, meditation, or gratitude journaling to calm your mind and focus your intentions for the day. Mindfulness in the morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. It’s all about being present, taking a moment to center yourself before answering emails, attending meetings, or working on your big project.
- Affirmations: Positive affirmations can help you have a productive, optimistic mindset. Your thoughts are the foundation of all your actions. So if you start your day with thinking and saying it’s going to be amazing, what a difference this makes!
Start with Your Most Important Tasks
Okay, so this last one is something you do literally before you start your work day. The first thing I do when I sit down at my desk is review my daily schedule and review my most important tasks. Then, I get to work on them!
And actually, I do my best to plan my most important tasks the night before. When I worked in an office setting, I found that if I didn’t have my priorities set for the day, I would end up working on tasks that other people would delegate to me (that were not important). It was work they didn’t want to do half the time. Can you relate?? 🙂 If you don’t set boundaries for yourself, other people may take advantage of this.
Have you heard the saying, “Eat the frog first thing in the morning”? This means work on your most important or in some cases, dreaded task first thing and get it out of the way.
Also, resist the urge to immediately check social media or emails as soon as you wake up. This can take you down a rabbit trail quickly. I have an acquaintance who would turn on the news and have it on all morning long as she got ready for work. She never realized the impact that hearing such negativity first thing in the morning can have.
In summary, we discussed 5 ways to help you have a healthy morning routine! These include waking up earlier ( and not hitting the snooze) exercising, eating breakfast, practicing mindfulness, and reviewing MITS before you start working. You DO have the capacity and the ability to make these positive changes in your life!
Would love to hear if you are currently practicing these morning routines or if you have others you’d like to share? Thank you for reading- and have a Blessed Day!!
This article offers great tips for building a healthy morning routine, including waking up earlier, exercising, practicing mindfulness, and planning your most important tasks. I love how it emphasizes mindfulness and movement to set a positive tone for the day. Do you have any suggestions for adjusting these routines on days when you’re running behind schedule? Thanks for these helpful ideas to kick-start the day!
For those days you are running behind you can still maintain that morning routine. You’ll need to simplify however. You could shorten your exercise to just 5-10 minutes of stretching or go for a walk. For mindfulness, take 1-2 minutes of breathing vs. the 10-15 minutes. I think one of the best ways to not run behind in the mornings is to prepare the night before. A few things you can do is lay out your clothes, decide what you’re making for breakfast, and plan your most important tasks. The key is to not give up though if you miss a few days of your entire routine. It takes time to develop new and healthier habits!